upon Nebuchadnezzar: and he was driven from men, and did eat grass as oxen, and his body was
wet with the dew of heaven, till his hairs were grown like eagles feathers, and his nails like birds’
claws.^34 And at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted up mine eyes unto heaven, and mine
understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honoured him that
liveth for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom is from generation
to generation:^35 And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doeth according
to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his
hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?^36 At the same time my reason returned unto me; and for
the glory of my kingdom, mine honour and brightness returned unto me; and my counsellors and
my lords sought unto me; and I was established in my kingdom, and excellent majesty was added
unto me.^37 Now I Nebuchadnezzar praise and extol and honour the King of heaven, all whose
works are truth, and his ways judgment: and those that walk in pride he is able to abase.
CHAPTER 5Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.
(^2) Belshazzar, whiles he tasted the wine, commanded to bring the golden and silver vessels which
his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem; that the king, and
his princes, his wives, and his concubines, might drink therein.^3 Then they brought the golden
vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king,
and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them.^4 They drank wine, and praised the
gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone.
(^5) In the same hour came forth fingers of a man’s hand, and wrote over against the candlestick
upon the plaister of the wall of the king’s palace: and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote.
(^6) Then the king’s countenance was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his
loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another.^7 The king cried aloud to bring in the
astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of
Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof, shall be clothed
with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.
(^8) Then came in all the king’s wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the
king the interpretation thereof.^9 Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance
was changed in him, and his lords were astonied.
(^10) Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house:
and the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever: let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy
countenance be changed:^11 There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods;
and in the days of thy father light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was
found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master
of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers;^12 Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and